The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration said it is seeking 18 commercial drivers to help test two hours-of-service pilot programs. 

FMCSA said these drivers will be part of the “pre-testing phase” for developing the flexible sleeper berth and split duty period pilot programs.

Over six weeks, they will help to ensure the study plans, training materials, and data collection tools are ready for a broader rollout.

“The goal of these programs is to test alternatives to the current hours-of-service requirements which have the potential to improve the lives and working conditions of American truck drivers through greater flexibility, while simultaneously maintaining equal or greater levels of safety,” FMCSA said. 

The agency is working with the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute on these HOS pilot programs. 

FMCSA said it is seeking nine drivers who currently use split sleeper berth options (either “8/2” or “7/3”) and who want to test regularly using one or both of these new split options (“6/4” and “5/5”). 

It also needs nine drivers whose schedules regularly require them to drive up to the end of the 14-hour driving window. These drivers will need to test the option to pause the window for 30 minutes minimum and up to 3 hours maximum by taking an extra break either off-duty, in the sleeper berth, or on-duty (not driving) at the location of a pickup or delivery. 

FMCSA has created a webpage for drivers to learn more information, as well as created a Flexible Sleeper Berth Online Screening Questionnaire and Split Duty Period Online Screening Questionnaire